Favre Leuba’s winning roll continues, as the brand has doubled down on its tourbillon release from earlier this year with a brand new execution that operates on the premise of less is more, the Chief Skeleton. This striking design is the first ever skeletonized watch in the brand’s history, and it’s got a lot going for it.

Built around the brand’s recognisable cushion case, well-sized at 40mm, the Favre Leuba Chief Skeleton is offered in two versions: a gold-finished movement with a brushed steel case, or an anthracite-finished movement housed in a black DLC case.

Before we talk about what the full picture looks like, we need to dive into the movement. The FLS01, as it’s known, has been developed exclusively for the brand and offers not just a pleasingly symmetrical balance of design, with multilayered movement architecture, but also some dramatic finishes. Snailing, satin finishes and sandblasting all combine to create a movement that offers plenty to delight the eyes.

What also works well is the contrast between the detailed and ornate calibre, with the sporty assortment around the watch — the case and integrated FKM rubber strap keep the whole package casual, especially if you opt for the black on black version. But don’t worry about the watch being too monochrome, as both version get coloured highlights, where the flange, which does double duty as a minute track and a place for the brand name to rest is offered in several variants, matched to the strap, The gold-hued movement is offered in green blue or black, while the black movement comes in the same options, with an additional ice blue version.

So if you’re in the market for a sporty skeleton (and honestly, aren’t we all), the Favre Leuba Chief Skeleton fits the bill.

Tech Specs: Favre Leuba Chief Skeleton

Movement: Self-winding FLS01 movement with a custom-made skeletonized design
Functions: Hours and minutes
Case: 40mm × 11.76mm; stainless steel or black DLC; water-resistant to 100m
Dial: Skeletonized
Strap: FKM rubber strap with easy change mechanism
Price: CHF 3,450 (gold tone movement and steel case; CHF 3,550 (black movement and DLC case)